This BLT pasta salad recipe has the bacon and tomatoes you’d expect. Plus it has spinach and more goodies to take it to the next level. It is a fabulous side dish for parties, picnics, and more. But it is so good, you may just want to make a meal of it.
This BLT pasta salad with spinach has the flavors of the classic sandwich, but it also has some extras to take it to the next level. It is a perfect side dish for summer gatherings, but I also love just eating it on its own for lunch.
In our family, summer means BLTs. The sandwiches are so simple, but oh so good.
It used to be harder to make them for dinner, because Little Dude wouldn’t partake. Luckily he is a fan now too, so we have them quite regularly.
In the spring, we use our own homegrown lettuce and buy tomatoes. During the summer we use homegrown tomatoes, but buy the lettuce.
Luckily those flavors aren’t just good in a sandwich. They are also amazing in salads and of course pasta salad too.
I love taking this macaroni salad with us to summer cook-outs. It’s a popular side dish that goes with burgers and most other grilled summer fare.
Substitutions and Additions
We love the mild flavor and texture of baby spinach in this salad. However, you can use chopped romaine lettuce or mixed greens if you prefer.
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If you want to stick to straight BLT flavors, you can stop there. Or go whole hog and add the hard boiled eggs and avocado like we do.
Some folks like adding diced red onion or sweet onion to the mix. I am not the hugest fan of raw onion, so it’s not something I usually add, but my husband loves it in there.
You could also add diced or shredded cheddar cheese. We never say no to cheese!
Chopped bell peppers and/or cucumbers would also be tasty. They would both add crunch and a burst of freshness to the mix.
Cooking Pasta For Macaroni Salad
For pasta salads, you want to cook your pasta to al dente. So either at the lower end of the suggested cook time on the box or even a minute less.
Drain the pasta and give it a quick rinse. That will wash off the extra starch and keep it from sticking together.
More Great Pasta Salad Recipes
BBQ ranch pasta salad has it all, BBQ, ranch, tomatoes, avocados, corn and more! It’s perfect for picnics, BBQs, potlucks and more!
All of the flavor of beloved deviled eggs with less pressure to make them look perfect. Deviled egg pasta salad is perfect for picnics, BBQs or just because.
Mediterranean orzo salad combines a hint of sweet grapes with bright lemon juice, savory feta cheese and more. It is the perfect side dish for grilled meats or seafood.
Speaking of seafood, crab pasta salad and tuna pasta salad are both tasty choices.
BLT Pasta Salad with Spinach
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ pound bacon cooked crisp and chopped
- 9 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ pound spinach roughly chopped (or your favorite lettuce)
- 4 hard boiled eggs chopped
- 2 avocados cubed
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside.12 ounces pasta
- In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, pepper and vinegar.½ cup mayonnaise, ¾ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Toss in pasta, bacon, cherry tomatoes, spinach and hard boiled eggs. Stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.½ pound bacon, 9 ounces cherry tomatoes, ½ pound spinach, 4 hard boiled eggs
- Stir in avocados when ready to serve. The avocados actually hold up pretty well in the leftovers. So if you need to stir them in before you are ready to serve, they should be fine. I just like to wait until the last minute if I can and hold off the oxidation for as long as I can!2 avocados
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.
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I'm drooling…..
Ha! Good thing it is easy to make!
I love a BLT, it's a staple here when the tomatoes come in fresh from the garden! YUM! But this sounds really interesting. I love all the ingredients, but have never had them all together! Winner, winner picnic dinner!
You'll have to give it a try! I am sure there are some good gluten free pastas out there, right? There is nothing better than a BLT with a tomato still warm from just being picked!
Hi Carlee, I was looking for inspiration as to what to serve later on as a salad, I know I don't have avo, but if I have everything else I'll be giving this a go. I am trying really hard to stick to my blogging schedule, but the list of recipes at the end of your post really isn't helping! There is some seriously tasty sounding food there!
xx
I hope you love it! Maybe it will be just the fuel you need to fire off that next post!
This is like the ultimate pasta salad for sure! I caught that pick-i-nick basket, lol!
Mollie
It's hard to think about a picnic basket and not say it pick-i-nick! I just can't help it! Thanks, Mollie!
What a perfect summer salad! I just learned we have a family reunion this summer, and this salad would be perfect!
How fun! I haven't been to a family reunion in forever! This would be perfect, thanks!
Hi Carlee, this pasta salad looks and sounds so good!
Thanks for sharing this at Cooking and Crafting with J&J!
Enjoy the week.
Julie
Thanks, Julie!
YUM! I so pinned this!! 🙂
Thanks!
Pasta salad is my go-to side dish for summer BBQ's. I am going to have to try this one!
Isn't it perfect for BBQs? I hoe you love it!
Mmmmm, this looks and sounds so good! I love pasta salad and I'll be trying this. Pinned!
Thank you! I think summer and pasta salad are perfect together!
Yum! This salad sounds delicious! Like a pimped-out macaroni salad! I will be trying this one for sure!
Hope you are having a great week Carlee! 🙂
Thanks, Jessica! It has all of our favorite things in there, so it had to be good 😉